Judith l



(No Model.)

-J L. COLLINS.

TOY.

No; 556,333. Patented Mar. 17,1896.

Dbiigasses AN DREW B GEAI'IAM. PHDTOAUTHQWASHIN GTONJ) C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,333, dated March 17, 1896.

Application filed February 23, 1895. Serial No. 539,444. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUDITH L; COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monongahela, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Toy, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in toys and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive toy which shall represent boys or brownies and other performers or actors in the act of turning somersaults, fiipflaps, handsprings, 850., and which shall afford a vast amount of pleasure and amusement to children.

The invention consists in the combination, with suitable end boards or supporting side pieces or frame, of a series of wires or sticks arranged within said frame in parallel relation to each other, between which one or more figures or automatons representing boys, brownies, &c., having spherical bodies are adapted to be placed and to roll over and turn somersaults and perform various tricks and antics; also in certain features and details of construction and arrangement hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved toy. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the end board or pieces increased in height to form suitable legs by which the toy may be supported upon a table. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the supporting-frame made in open rectangular form and extending entirely around the supporting wires or sticks. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the toy turned upon one end, illustrating how the figures may be caused to perform a headstand.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the simplest form in which my improved toy may-be made, and in which said toy is composed of four parallel wires or slender sticks, '1, 2, 3, and 4, interposed between, attached to and supported by two blocks or end pieces, 5 and 6, located at either end thereof. \Vithin and between the wires or sticks described are located one or more figures or automatons representing boys, brownies, dzc. having spherical bodies 7, straight or bent arms and legs project-in g from said spherical bodies, andsuitable heads of any shape or size.

The figures may be made in any desired. form, representing boys, brownies, animals, birds, or anything else, the only essential point being that the figure or automaton must have a spherical body, which may be of any suitable material, but which is preferably made from rubber, which by its nature is adapted to obtain a firmer grasp and frictional hold upon the wires or sticks between which the same travels back and forth.

The toy, as'constructed in Fig. 1, is adapted to be upheld between the two hands of the person manipulating the same, when, by tilting the toy or by depressing one end or elevating the other, the figure or figures confined between the wires or sticks will travel from one end thereof to the other, and in their passage will roll over and over, producing the effect of turning somersaults, &c.

By turning the toy upon one end, as indicated in Fig. 4, the figure or automaton is caused to stand upon its head or its feet, as desired.

In Fig. 2 the end pieces 5 and 6 are shown extended downward to form suitable legs, by means of which the toy may be supported upon a table, window-sill, or other suitable support, leaving the hands free to manipulate the figures or automatons. By giving the heads of the figures each a slight knock they maybe made to bow to each other, or by giving them a harder knock they may be caused to roll over and to turn somersaults, the number of somersaults being only limited by the length of the wires or sticks or the distance between the end supports.

In Fig. 4 I have shown how the end pieces 5 and 6 may be extended upward and downward and connected by means of similar pieces 8 and 9, preferably of wood, thus forming an open rectangular frame, between which the wires or sticks 1, 2, 3, and 4 may extend. This figure also shows two separate and independent setsof wires or sticks with figures mounted thereon.

Then there are two or more figures mounted within the wires or sticks and it is desired to hold one stationary, a gum or rubber ring or band 10 may he slipped around said figure and also around one end of the frame. The figures or automatons may also be removed from the frame and replaced therein by simply spreading the wires apart sufficiently to allow the spherical body to pass through between them, after which the wires will spring back to their normal position. Where sticks are used in place of the wires 1, 2, 3, and 4 they will not permit the removal of the automatons.

lhe arms of the figures or automatons may be supplied with bells, and other changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a toy, a series of parallel wires or 20 sticks interposed between and supported by my own I have hereto affiXed my signature in 3 5 the presence of two witnesses.

JUDITH L. COLLINS. lVitnesses J AMES A. SKILLEN, JAMES C. CORRIN. 

